Robertson



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G. W. ROBERTSON. STATION INDICATOR.

No. 523,919. Patentsd July 31,1894.

(No Model.)

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W. STATION INDICATUR.

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ROBERTSON.

No. 523,919 Patented July 31, 189.4.

110 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Modelf) G. W. ROBERTSON, STATION INDICATOR.

Patented July 31, 1894.

Il Jlll No.v 523,919.

( No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 7. G. W. ROBERTSON.

STATION INDIOATOIT.

Patented July 31, 1894.

(No Model- A l 1o sheetssheen 8. G. W. ROBERTSON.

STATION INDICATOR.. No. 523,919. Patented July 31, 1894.

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 9.

G. W.-ROBERTSON.

STATION INDICATOR.

Patented July 31.1894;

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l UNITED SInrrlss *PATENT OFFICE.'

GEORGE W. ROBERTSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,919, dated July y31, 1894.

Appncanon filed october 24.1893. serial 110.489.029.

.To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON ROBERTSON, a subject of the Queen of Great lritain, residing at Haverstock Hill, London, 1n the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in England, No. 1, of

January 2, 1893,) specification. p

The invention relates to improvements upon an invention for which I obtained a patent in the United States of America, dated November 3, 1891, and numbered 462,588,and the present improvements are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a railway carriage tted with the improved station indicating apparatus. Fig. 2 is an'end view and Fig. 3 is an under side view of the parts'connecting the prime mover with the Vertical connecting rod at the end of the carriage. Fig. et is an elevation and Fig. 5 is a cross section of some of the parts shown in the previous figures. Fig. 6 is an elevation and Fig.. 7 is a plan of parts at end of shaft on top of carriage. Fig. 8 -is any end view of indicator.

of which the following is a Fig. 9 is a side view of partsof the indicator.

Figs. 10 and 11 are elevations and Fig. 12 is a plan or end View of part of the indicator chain, and Fig, 13 is a sectional edge view and Fig. 14 is a side View ofpart of an indicator card. Fig. 15 is an end view, Fig. 16 is a side. view and Fig. 17 is a plan, of part of a railway carriage showing applied thereto a modification of parts for giving motion from the prime mover to the vertical rod at end of carriage. Figs. 418, 19 and 2O are a lplan and two elevations of cani communicating motion from prime mover to said vertical rod, and Figs.. 21 and 22 are two elevations of lower part of vertical rod. Fig. 23 is a plan showing one method of constructing and op erating my movable cams or inclines. Fig. 24 is a cross section of same and Fig. 25 is a detail view showing one of the end v studs or axes.

d a are theindicator side frames.'

bb are two shafts mounted in the frames d a. c c are chain wheels fixed on the shaft b. d d are chains passing around the chain Wheels with their pins dvresting in the notches (Nomodel.) Patented in England January 2, 1893, No. 1.

they are bent at their free ends`so as to meetY and thereby hold the tablets e securely and yet permit of ready change." Each tablet e will carry the name of a station and an advertisement as heretofore. g

The indicator side frames/u. a are provided with glazed apertures a. a to admit light to the interior of the indicator. The frames a a are connected together by a metal casing a2 avwhile the segmental shaped bottom of the indicator frame is provided with a rhinged glazed door a3 to enable the indicator tablets e .to be seen and to permitof access to the interior of the indicator, n l g The lower part of the indicator passes through thecarriage roof .to/the interior of the carriage and the indicator is fixed in position by means of two fianges a4 thereon resting on and fixed to carriage roof.

On one end of the shaft bis iXed a bevel wheel b3 which meshes with a bevel Wheel f fixed on' the shaft f which latter extends along the carriage'top and is fitted with `as many wheels f as there are indicators to a carriage. One end of the shaft f has a double acting ratchet wheel f2 and a notched wheelv 'f6 fixed thereon and a double ended pawl lever f 3 mounted loosely thereon, the pawlsff4 of which act on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel f2 and are sprung toward the edge of the latter by a spring f5. The shaft f is mounted in standards f* and a springl dog g mounted in a socket in the end standard f* acts in connection with the notched wheel f6 toinsure correct adjustment and firm holding of the chain of tablets.

By the above arrangement all the indicators 4of a carriage are enabled tov be operated by a sin gle ratchet wheel f2 and notched wheel f fixed on the end of. shaft f and one double pawl leverV mounted on said`shaft,instead of,

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as heretofore, employing a set of such parts y to each indicator.

Either end of the pawl lever f 3 is connected by rod f7 to a lever h fixed on one end of a shaft h mounted in brackets i on the under side of the carriage and provided at its other end with a counterbalance lever h2. The rod f7 is connected to one or the other end of the pawl lever f3 accord-ing to the direction in which the train is required to travel. On the shaft h is fixed a cam lever h3 within the cam l slot of which works a stud j fixed in a-bar 7. This bar j is mounted in brackets j and is pin-jointed to links js, which latter are also pin-jointed to levers k fixed on shafts 7o one at each side of the carriage. On the lower end of each shaft 7c is fixed a prime motion lever k2, theouter end of which is acted-upon by an incline or cam o tixedon the permanent wayorto a platform or other structure alongside the line.

Z Z are two centering rods which are acted upon by springs Z; these rodsbear at their inner ends against a projection j* on the bar j and act after each action of the apparatus to restore the parts to the centralposition shown in thedrawings.

Thecam slot in the lever h3 has a central short slot h4 within which the pin j on, the bar j normally rests, and such cam slot h4 is connected to inclined cam slots h5. Thus, when the bar j is moved in either direction by a prime motion lever k2, the pin j' first works against one or other side of the cam slot h4 Aand thereby gives a definite amount ol` motion to the cam lever h3 and consequently to the indicator chains, then, on a prime mover k2 receiving more motion than that required to work the indicators, the stud j' will" move out of the cam sloth4 and will move along one or other of the cam slots h5, which latter at such time will be in a horizontal direction; the cam lever ha will thereby, after having received its proper motion, be held iirm notwithstanding that the stud j' continues to travel a certain distance.

When one of the pawls f4'is risingto give motion to the ratchetwheel f2, the otherpawl descends and, in order to prevent the descending pawl' from interfering with the rotation of the wheel f2, itstail is pressed inward by the fixed cam f so as to raise its nose away from the edge of the wheel f2.

Iwill now describe the modification shown at Figs. 15 to 22 for communicating a certain 'xed amount of motion from the prime mover 762 tothe vertical rod f7. the rod f7 is mounted in guides f1 fixed to end ofV carriage, and the lower end offsuch rod isvprovided with anti-friction rollers f 9to tit against theupper and lower sidesof the edge of a cam formed segment fm whose cam edge is formed with an incline fm and a straight part maat each end of such incline. This cam formed segment m is mounted on aniaxis m3 and it is connectedby link @with anarln` la of one of the prime movers vvhich arms are connected together by means of a slot 7a4 1n one and a pin t from the other passy cam or incline o.

In this arrangement i being pushed into or withdrawn fromk the ing through said slot thereby causing them to move in unison; consequently the arm 7c3 connected to thecam formed segment m will give motion to such segment when either prime mover 702 is acted upon by an operative Springs m4 restore the cam segment m to its normally central position after each action thereof. Y

It should be understood that the prime motion levers 7a2 and the fixed operating cams 0 are so arranged that the prime mover may receive more motion thanA is necessary to give the required motion to the indicator chain, but, bythe interposition of a lost motion a1'- rangement between the 'prime mover and the vertical rod f7, the latter receives only the exact amount ot" motion required tocorrectly operate the indicators, while theprime-mover l may receive a variable amount of motion d`epending upon the sway of the trai'ncaused bythe wear ot' the wheels' and-line'andfother causes.

The inventi'onalso relates to means foriem abliug the indicators to be quickly shifted so as to indicate the proper stations when" the carriagesare caused to run on diferent lines o r branches. Thus supposing/a train sometimes runs from', end to end ot" line` A and sometimes branches oir1 therefrom ont` toline B; the indicator-tablets are sokarranged that the names otall` the stations appear inl succession thereon, say, those of line A audit/hen those of line B. Now on running on line A the names of its stations willt be successively shown by the indicators unt-il the junction with line B is reached, and even thenwould continue to be indicated insuccessionl` at the different stations onlineBnnless means were `devised for obviatin g the same. Forthis-purpose there are arranged at or near the junction a series of cams orinclines oneartoeach other and of a number correspondingwithgthat ofthe stationsonline A which are i not `passed by the train; these cams or inclines o` are made movable, as shown at Figs; 23, 24! and 25, and they are constructed and operated as follows:-The movable cams lor inclines 0, Y

which maybe supported upon suitablecolumns of'brickwork or masonry p, outerends mounted on studs-oraxesro fixed` in plates p fixed to the brickworkormasonry At theirinner'orad'jacent endsV they are provided with hinges o2 which are loosely fitted so as toallowr the slight endwisemotion IOO are at theirA of each part of thecam orinclifnewhen it is working position. At theiback of the camsor inclineso I mount in suitablebearings a shaft qcapable of receivingrotary motion byv means `of links-and leversA or in any other suitable manner. This shaft q has fixed thereon a number of levers rthe outer endsof which are connected by meansof connecting rods a" to guided thrust rods riconnected" to theback ofthe movable cams or inclines o by" hinged joints r9.

according to their position in relation to the The levers r are of various lengths cams or inclines o, those nearer the center o2 being longer than those nearer the pivoted ends o. The cams o have anti-friction rollers running in grooves upon the metal plates p2.

By the above arrangement an attendant at" the side of the line can readily place the cams or inclines o in or out of position for operation. Thus when the 'train from line A begins to run on line B the series of movable cams or inclines o are placed in position to act on the prime movers k2, thus causing the names of stations of line A from the junction to the end of said line and'first station on line B to be passed in rapid succession by the indicators, so that the latter shall, before arriving at the first station 0n line B, indicate the name of said station and then successively the names of the remainder of the stations on said line B. f By means of these movable cams or inclines 0, means may be readily provided to suit various arrangements of traffic.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a station indicator, the combination of a casing containing the indicating tablets, suitable means for intermittently moving the said tablets, consisting of a shaft carrying the tablets, a bevel wheel on said shaft, a shaft carrying a bevel wheel vfor engagement with the tablet carrying shaft a double-acting ratchet-wheel fixed on the end of said shaft, and a lever carrying a pair 'of pawls for engagem ent with said ratchet-wheel mounted on said shaft, and suitable means for moving said lever consisting of a rod connected with the lever and a prime mover connected with the rod and adapted to be engaged by aseries of cams located along the line of travel substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a station indicator, the combination of a casing containing the. indicating tablets, suitable means for intermittently moving the said tablets consisting of a shaft carrying the tablets, a bevel wheel on said shaft, a shaftcarrying a bevel wheel for engagement with the tablet carrying shaft and a double-acting ratchet-wheel and a cog-wheel fixed on said shaft, a lever carrying a pair of pawls for engagement with said ratchet-Wheel and mounted on said shaft, a spring dog for engagementwth said cogwheel, and a prime mover adapted to be engaged by a series of cams located along the line of travel, connected with the lever carrying the pawls substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a station indicator the combination of a casing containing a number of indicating tablets suitablemechanism connected therewith for intermittently moving the said tablets, andsuitable mechanism for operating the intermittent mechanism .consisting of a cam-lever h3 provided with the' cam slots h4, h5 and carried by a shaft h, a suitable connection between the shaft h and the intermittent mechanism, and a prime mover connected with the cam-lever andadapted to be engaged by a series of cams located along the line of travel substantially as and for the purpose set forth. t

4. In a station indicator, the combination of a casing containing a series of indicatingftablets, suitable mechanism connected therewith for intermittently moving the tablets, a camlever h3 connected with said mechanism for operating it, a prime mover connected with the said cam-lever, and a pair of springpressed bars bearing on said cam-lever for normally holding it in position substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

v5. In a station indicator, the combination of a casing containing a number of indicating tablets suitable mechanism connected therewith for intermittently moving them, a prime mover connected with said mechanism, and adapted to engage a series of cams located along the line of travel, and suitable means for adjusting said cams consistingof a series of pivoted levers of dierent lengths, connected with said cams, said levers being connected with and operated by a shaft substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a station indicator, the combination with a prime mover k2, of a lost motion cam, connections between such prime mover and said cam, connections between such cam and a vertical rod]c7 at the end of the carriage,l a longitudinal shaft f along the carriage top, a double acting ratchet wheel f2 fixed on shaft f, a double ended pawl lever f3 mounted loosely on shaft f, a notched wheel f6 fixed on shaft f, a spring dog g acting with said wheel f, and bevel Wheels f on shaft f giving motion to indicators by means of bevel Wheels b3 fixed on indicator shafts b, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

GEO. W. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

B. J. B. MILLs, v CLAUDE-K.MILLs,' A y Patent Agents, 23 Southampton Buildings,

London, l/V. O.

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